Electric voltage, current, and phaseangle measuring instrument



M y 1951 'r. A. RICH ELECTRIC VOLTAGE; CURRENT, AND PHASE-ANGLE MEASURING INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 17, 1946 Inventor Theodor Afiich,

5 Z Z m a m w .d 9 O B i Z 6 Z 9 O z 0 :LIII f 8 2 W I: D A O L His Attorney.

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFECE ELECTRIC VOLTAGE, CURRENT, AND PHASE- ANGLE MEASURING INSTRUIENT Theodore A. Rich, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application December 17, 1946, Serial No. 716,684

8 Claims.

My invention relates to an electrical measuring apparatus for measuring voltage, total current, the inphase component of current, and the quadrature component of current in an electrical cirthe source voltage causing it presence.

(Cl. I'll-95) A phase shifting device consisting of serially connected variable resistance I0, which may be calibrated in degrees phase shift, and condenser E i is connected across secondary 3 of transformer cuit from which measurements other desired 5 I. The resulting voltage between the center tap quantities such as watts and reactive volt amperes of secondary 3 and the junction of resistor l and may be calculated. condenser l l is impressed across the primary coil It is an object of my invention to provide a l3 of a transformer I2 which possesses a center simple, light and sturdy instrument which is contapped secondary coil 14. tained in a small volume and which utilizes only w A Commutating device r ctifier i a single indicating device in measuring the variists of a closed four-terminal ring comprising ous quantities previously enumerated. serially connected elements, rectifier i8, tapped The features of the invention which are bebalancing resistor 59, rectifier 20, tapped balanclieved to be novel and patentable will be pointed ing resistor 25, rectifier 22, tapped balancing reout in the claims appended hereto. For a better sistance 23, and rectifier 24 connected in the order understanding of the invention reference is made named, and each rectifier is connected for curin the following description to the accompanying rent flow in the direction followed in enumeratdrawing in which Fig. 1 is a diagram of connecing the elements and in the same direction about tions of one embodiment of my invention; and th rin A erm l 6 is pr vi w n Fig. 2 shows the circuit with test meters approrectifiers 2t and I8 and is connected to one side priately installed for adjusting the resistances in of secondary coil It of transformer l2. 'An ada rectifier bridge to proper balance. justable tap H on resistor 2i is connected to the Referring to Fig. 1, a potential transformer I remaining side of secondary coil M of transmay be energized by connecting its primary coil former [2. An adjustable tap on resistor 23 to an A. C. source, preferably that source which 25 and an adjustable tap 26 on resistor H) are simisupplies a load whose current requirements are to larly provided. If rectifiers of the type which be ascertained. Primary coil 2 is tapped for use offer relatively large resistance to current flow at difierent Voltages such as 440, 220, and 110 in the reverse direction are employed in rectifier volts as an example. Transformer is provided ring [5 it is evident that taps 25 and 26 are alterwith a center tapped secondary coil 3 across 30 nately essentially disconnected from the circuit which a voltage measuring circuit including a rebetween taps l6 and I! when an alternating sistance 4 and a rectifier bridge 5 are connected voltage is supplied between taps l6 and H. y in series. A meter 5, preferably of a D. C. To obtain a voltage dependent upon the cur- DArsonval volt-meter center scale type, is conrent to be measured a current transformer 21 of nected across the remaining terminals of rectifier a conventional type may be employed and a bridge 5 when a double pole double throw switch tapped potential divider resistor 28 connected 1 contacts its terminals 8 and 9. By this means across its terminals. A double pole multiposition meter 6 will indicate the voltage across the priswitch 29 is provided whereby the total voltage or mary coil 2 of transformer i when switch 1 is in desired portions of the voltage across resistor 28 the position described. may be made available across switch 29. The The DArsonval type D. C. meter 6 may also voltage chosen by the position of switch 29 is .be employed as a current measuring device for an made available to rectifier ring it by connecting A. C. circuit by introducing it into the remainder the adjustable tap 25 on resistor 23 to one blade of the circuit of Fig. 1. This may be accomof switch 29 and the adjustable tap 26 of replished by causing switch I to contact terminals sistor I!) to the other blade of switch 29. Ter- Ba and 9a respectively which terminals are part minal 8d of switch I is connected to the center of a circuit to be described. It will be shown tap of resistor 28 and terminal 9a of switch! is that this circuit includes commutating or rectifyconnected to the center tap of secondary coil [4 ing means synchronously operated at an adjust of transformer 12, thereby connecting meter 6 beable phase angle with respect to the A. C. current tween the center taps of secondary M and reto be measured thereby controlling the ratio b sistor 28 when switch 7 is moved to the proper tween the average value of the resultant rectified position. current and the effective value of the initial The operation of the circuit may be described A. C. current in a manner dependent upon the in the following manner. When switch 1 Fig. phase relationship between the A. C. current and 1 is positioned so as to contact terminals 8 and 9, meter Bis subjected to a voltage or current directly dependent upon the voltage impressed across the primary 2 of transformer I. The rectifying action of bridge 5 allows the current flow in meter 6 to be of a unidirectional pulsating type. Resistor 4 may be of such value as to allow meter 8 to operate within its proper range and to allow some convenient ratio between voltage impressed on transformer l and actual voltage across meter 3. Measurement of current flow in current transformer 21, either total or a component thereof, is obtained when switch 1 contacts terminals 8a and 9a respectively.

Operation of the rectifier ring I5 independent of its use in the total circuit of Fig. l is as follows: Rectifiers of the copper oxide type such as may be used in the rectifier ring display small opposition to current fiow in one direction and a very much greater resistance to current flow in the opposite direction if the voltage impressed across it is sizable. Its resistance variation with voltage is such that it is essentially linear through a small range of voltages in either direction near zero value but departs from such linearity greatly when sizeable voltages are impressed across it. In other words, if a curve is plotted of the forward resistance of a rectifier versus the voltage applied across the rectifier, such curve has a pronounced slope for small voltage values, then the curve passes through a knee and flattens out to a substantially constant resistance value for larger voltage values. It is only with voltages large enough to reach this flat region of the rectifier characteristic curve that large ratios of reverse to forward resistance are obtained and true rectifier action is produced, in which the rectifier acts essentially as a directional switch to permit appreciable fiow of current in only one direction. It is this true rectifier characteristic which is employed in the operation of rectifier ring I5 in accordance with my invention. This is accomplished by employing only sizeable voltages across each rectifier of the ring, such voltages having sufficiently large values to extend well into the fiat portion of the resistance versus voltage characteristic of the rectifiers. If small instrument type rectifiers are employed resistance to current fiow in one direction may be approximately 100 ohms and in the neighborhood of 100,000 ohms in the opposite direction. Thus when a voltage is impressed between diametrically opposite terminals such as terminal I5 and tap I! and of such polarity that terminal i6 is positive with respect to tap I'I, rectifiers I8 and offer little opposition to current flow through them while rectifiers 22 and 24 permit only negligible current flow through them. Conversely when tap I1 is positive with respect to I6, rectifiers 22 and 24 are now of small resistance while rectifiers I8 and 20 permit only small current flow. Thus although the resistance to current flow in the reverse direction is not infinite, the ratio of reverse to forward resistance in the rectifiers is large and substantially constant. Thus rectifier ring I5 is analogous to a switch wherein tap 25 possesses definite voltage position with respect to terminal I6 and tap I! when terminal 16 is positive and tap 25 is essentially electrically isolated from terminal I5 and tap Il. Conversely, when tap I? is positive with respect to terminal I6, tap 25 assumes a definite voltage relationship with respect to tap El and terminal I6 while tap 26 is essentially electrically isolated from tap I? and terminal I6.

In Fig. 1 the voltage of secondary coil I4 is made large and is also made large compared to any voltage which may exist across resistor 28. Thus rectifier ring I5 becomes essentially switching device wherein tap 2'6 is connected essentially midway between terminal I6 and tap I 1 during one half cycle and tap 25 is similarly connected during the next half cycle of the A. C. voltage impressed between terminal I6 and tap H by secondary coil IA of transformer I2. Taps H, 25, and 25 are adjusted by a method to be described so that tap 25 is midway between I6 and IT for one polarity and tap 26 is midway between I5 and I! for the opposite polarity of the sizeable voltage impressed between I6 and I1.

When a voltage appears across secondary I 4 as caused by an impressed voltage of a given frequency across primary 2 of transformer I and a voltage also appears across resistor 28 because of current flow of the same frequency in transformer 2'1 and these voltages are in phase or may be made so by proper adjustment of resistor II] the following conditions prevail: When terminal I5 is positive with respect to tap Il', tap 26 for a properly balanced rectifier ring I5 is midway between I6 and IT as to potential.

. Therefore, tap 26 and the center tap of secondary I4 are at the same potential. Thus the potential existing in resistor 28 between its center tap and the tap to which 26 is connected by switch 29 is impressed across meter 6 and measured thereby. During the next half cycle tap 25 is similarly at the same potential as the center tap of secondary M and the potential between the center tap of resistor 28 and the tap to which tap 25 is connected by switch 29 is impressed across meter 6 and measured thereby. Therefore, meter 5 is subjected to a rectified voltage of an amount proportional to the voltage across resistor 28 or proportional to the amount of current flow in transformer 21. Similarly, if the voltage across secondary I4 of transformer I2 and the voltage across resistor 28 are 180 out of phase, meter 6 is subjected to a rectified voltage of an amount proportional to the voltage across resistor 28 but the polarity of the voltage across the meter will have reversed.

If the voltages of coil I4 and resistor 28 are degrees out of phase with respect to each other, it follows from the above discussion that terminal 26 will be at a potential equal to that of the center tap of coil I4 from the instant that the voltage across resistor 28 is maximum in one direction until it is maximum in the opposite direction. During the next half cycle tap 25 is similarly connected. Therefore, the voltage impressed across meter 5 varies from a maximum value dependent upon the current in transformer 21 to a maximum value in the opposite direction for each half cycle of the voltage across coil I 4 and meter 5 will therefore have no deflection since the average current is zero. For phase displacements greater than zero degrees and less than 90 degrees it is apparent that the resultant average voltage across meter 5 will be dependent upon the degree by which the two voltages are out of phase with respect to each other as well as upon the magnitude of the current flow in transformer 27. Thus, since the phase relationship of the two voltages may be adjusted by the phase shifter consisting of variable resistor It and condenser I I the total current flow in transformer 21', its inphase component, and its quadrature component with respect to the voltage across transformer I may be measured. When the phase-shifter is adjusted to get maximum reading on meter 6 its reading is the total line 3. current and the phase angle will be known from the calibrated phase shifter.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the voltage appearing across the secondary 3 of transformer I may be derived from current or voltage conditions in any electrical system and the voltage appearing across resistor 23 may be similarly derived from current or voltage conditions many other separate electrical system. Thus, meter 6 may be employed to indicate the degree of instantaneous phase displacement between measured quantities in the two separate circuits. When utilized in this fashion, it is apparent that meter s functions as a synchroscope, and it is hereby pointed out that such a use is included within the scope of my invention.

Rectifiers of the copper oxide type are not identical one with the other and will therefore vary as to the amount of resistance which they offer to current fiow in the favored direction. Since it is desirable as evident from the above discussion that tap or 25 be midway between terminal l6 and tap ll, taps 25- and 25 as well as tap ii are made adjustable so as to improve the accuracy of operation. However, it is apparent that the device operates essentially as described if the balancing impedances are removed from the rectifier ring. It will also be appreciated that Hi and 28 need not necessarily be a transformer secondary and a resistor, respectively. Transformers could be used in both places, or equivalent voltage dividing means such as center-tapped inductors or capacitor voltage dividers may be employed. It is intended that the term voltage divider as used herein with reference to elements hi and 28 should include all such equivalents.

In Fig. 2 the desired connections to the rectifier ring l for balancing the ring by adjusting taps ll, 25, and 26 are shown. Rectifier ring i5 is energized across terminals l5 and it by transformer l2 as in Fig. 1. However, a meter as, preferably of a D. C. DArsonval ammeter type, is inserted in one of the leads from transformer l2 to the rectifier ring 15. Taps and 26 are connected to respective contact points of a switch 32- whose contact arm is connected to the center tap of secondary Id through an ammeter 3i.

By utilizing the circuit shown in Fig. 2 the proper position of taps ii, 25 and 26 may be determined. Impressing a voltage across the primary i l of transformer E2 in Fig. 2 while switch 32 remains open causes a current flow through meter 38 in one direction during one half cycle and in the opposite direction during the next half cycle. The magnitude of the current flow during the first half cycle is dependent upon the resistance in the path between is and I! through resistor l9 and rectifiers l8 and 28 and the magnitude of the current flow during the next half cycle is dependent upon the resistance of the path between ll and it through resistor 23 and rectifiers 22 and Current flow in the reverse direction through the two rectifiers in seriesis negligibly small. The resistance of these two paths may be changed by adjusting tap ll until the indication of ammeter 39, which is of the D. C. type, becomes zero. A zero reading indicates that the current flow during each half cycle is equal and the resistance of the two paths must therefore also be equal. When tap ll is adjusted in the above fashion the contact arm of switch 32 is made to contact that point to which tap 28 is connected while transformer l2 is'still energized as before. Tap 25 is then adjusted until meter 3| indicates zero current flow through it. When such zero condition is reached it indicates that tap 26 remains at the same potential as the center tap of secondary l4. Tap 25 is similarly adjusted after the contact arm of switch 32 is made to contact that point which connected to tap 25.

Since rectifier ring I5 is to be employed in-a manner such that the voltage impressed across terminals l6 and H is in all cases greater than that impressed across terminals 25 and 26, the balancing procedure need not be extended as-by applying a voltage between taps 25 and 26. This apparent when it is realized that in its intended operation rectifiers l8 and 24 or rectifiers 253 and 22 are never simultaneously in a stateof minimum opposition to current flow.

If the device is to be used over a range of voltage values induced in the secondary coil 3 of transformer 2, it is advisable to check the balance obtained above at additional values of voltage impressed across the rectifier ring l5 be? tween terminal l6 and tap ii. If the device should not remain essentially in balance over a range of such impressed voltages, the voltageresistance characteristics of the several rectifiers are evidently sufficiently dissimilar so that accuracy over such range cannot be properly maintained. Substituting other rectifiers should remedy such a difficulty since rectifiers are usually sufficiently similar as to characteristics so that only negligible unbalance may be normally expected.

The balancing procedure described above is simple and straightforward. When rectifier ring i5 is once balanced respective positions of taps ll, 25 and 26 need not be changed since the characteristics of the copper oxide rectifiers will remain the same even after long usage of the device. Thus a simple, accurate and compact measuring device possessing only a single moving indicating element and capable of measuring voltage and the various components of current and the phase angle or power factor in any medium or low frequency circuit is provided by my invention. Phase angle may be read directly from that setting of the calibrated resistor i6 which causes maximum reading of meter 6, or may be calculated from the values of the various components of current which the apparatus eas ily obtains.

As will occur to those skilled in the art various different arrangements and combinations of the principles described above may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention and I, therefore, do not wish to limit my invention to the particular arrangement described.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Measuring apparatus comprising a ring circuit containing four rectifiers in series and connected for minimum opposition to current fiow in one direction only about such ring, a center tapped voltage divider connected to impress a first A.-C. voltage across a first set of two serially connected rectifiers of said ring, a second center tapped voltage divider connected to impress a second A.-C. voltage across a second set of two serially connected rectifiers of said ring, said second A.-C. voltage being sufliciently great to operate the rectifiers in the region in which the ratio of reverse to forward resistance is substantially constant and also being much greater than said first A.-'C. vo1tage,the parallel ring circuits between the points of connection of each of said A.-C. voltages being of equal impedance, and a direct current responsive instrument connected between the center tap of said two voltage dividers.

2. Measuring apparatus comprising a ring circuit containing four rectifiers in series and connected for minimum opposition to current flow in one direction only about such ring, a center tapped voltage divider connected to impress a measurement A.-C. voltage across a first set of two serially connected rectifiers of said ring, a second center tapped voltage divider connected to impress a greater A.-C. voltage across a second set of two serially connected rectifiers of said ring, the two A.-C. voltages being of the same frequency, said greater A.-C. voltage being sufiiciently great to operate the rectifiers in the region in which the ratio of reverse to forward resistance is substantially constant so that the rectifiers act substantially as a commutating or switching device, the parallel ring circuits between the points of connection of each of said A.-C. voltages being of equal impedance, and a direct current measuring instrument connected between the center tap of said two voltage dividers.

3. In combination, a four-terminal ring circuit having four legs of equal impedance, each leg of said ring circuit containing at least one true rectifier, all of said rectifiers being connected to permit appreciable flow of current in the same direction around said ring circuit, first and second center-tapped voltage dividers connected between respective pairs of diagonally opposite terminals of said ring circuit, means to apply first and second alternating voltages across said first and second voltage dividers respectively, said second voltage being larger than said first voltage, said second voltage also being suificiently large to operate said rectifiers in the flat portion beyond the knee of their resistance versus voltage characteristic, in which portion the rectifiers have a substantially constant forward resistance and a large ratio of reverse to forward resistances, and direct-current responsive apparatus connected between the center taps of said voltage dividers.

4. In combination, a four-terminal ring circuit having four legs of equal impedance, each leg of said ring circuit containing at least one resistor and one true rectifier connected in series, all of said rectifiers being connected to permit appreciable flow of current in the same direction around said ring circuit, first and second centertapped voltage dividers connected between respective pairs of diagonally opposite terminals of said ring circuit, means to apply first and second alternating voltages across said first and second voltage dividers respectively, said second voltage being larger than said first voltage, said second voltage also being sufficienly large to operate said rectifiers in the fiat portion beyond the knee of their resistance versus voltage characteristic, in which portion the rectifiers have a substantially constant forward resistance and a large ratio of reverse to forward resistances, and direct-current responsive apparatus connected between the center taps of said voltage dividers.

5. Current measuring apparatus comprising a ring circuit containing four rectifiers in series and connected for minimum opposition to current flow in one direction only about such ring, a center tapped voltage divider connected to impress an A.-C. voltage across a first set of two serially connected rectifiers of said ring, said A.-C. voltage beingadjustably fixed in phase relationship to and derived from a reference voltage, a second center tapped voltage divider connected to impress a smaller A.-C. voltage across a second set of two serially connected rectifiers of said ring, said smaller A.-C. voltage being fixed in phase relationship to and dependent in magnitude upon the current flow in a circuit energized by said reference voltage, impedances inserted into said ring circuit in series with said rectifiers in such manner and of such value that the minimum opposition to current flow is the same between any two adjacent connections to said ring, and a direct current measuring instrument connected between the center taps of said two voltage dividers.

6. A current and phase-angle measuring instrurnent comprising a four-legged rectifier ring the legs of which have equal impedances and have much greater impedances to current flow in one direction around such ring than to current fiow in the other direction, means including a center-tapped voltage divider connected to impress across two diagonally opposite corners of said ring a first A.-C. voltage derived from and adjustably fixed in phase relationship to a reference voltage, a calibrated adjustable phaseshifter for adjusting the phase angle between said first A.C. voltage and said reference voltage to substantially any desired value between leading and 90 lagging, means including a second center-tapped voltage divider connected to impress across the other two diagonally opposite corners of said ring a second and smaller A.-C. voltage dependent in magnitude upon and fixed in phase relationship to the measured current, and a D.C. measuring instrument connected between the respective center taps of said two voltage dividers.-

7. A current and phase-angle measuring instrument comprising a four-legged rectifier ring the legs of which have equal impedances and have much greater impedances to current flow in one direction around said ring than to current flow in the other direction, a potential transformer having a center-tapped secondary, a calibrated phase shifter comprising a variable resistor and a capacitor in series connected across the secondary of said potential transformer, a second transformer having its primary connected between the center tap of said potential transformer secondary and the juncture of said variable resistor and capacitor and having a centertapped secondary connected across two diagonally opposite corners of said rectifier ring, a

current transformer having a secondary connected across the other two diagonally opposite corners of said rectifier ring, a center-tapped impedance also connected across said current transformer secondary, and a D.C. measuring instrument connected between the center tap of said second transformer secondary and the center tap of said impedance.

8. A voltage, current, and phase-angle measuring instrument comp-rising a four-legged rectifier ring the legs of which have equal impedances and have much greater impedances to current fiow in one direction around said ring than to current flow in the other direction, a potential transformer having a center-tapped secondary, a calibrated phase-shifter comprising a variable resistor and a capacitor in series connected across the secondary of said transformer, a second transformer having its primar connected between the center tap of said potential trans transformer secondary and the center tap of said impedance or across the output of said additional rectifier selectively.

THEODORE A. RICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,929,216 Pfannenmuller Oct. 3, 1933 2,282,396 Cravath May 12, 1942 

